Rumors have connected the Los Angeles Lakers to Detroit Pistons star Jerami Grant for some time now.
A new report indicates that any team looking to acquire the former second-round pick is likely going to have to pay a sharp price.
“The Lakers, [Portland] Trail Blazers, [New York] Knicks, [Utah] Jazz, [Washington] Wizards, [Boston] Celtics, [Indiana] Pacers, [Minnesota] Timberwolves and [Sacramento] Kings have all signaled interest in the 27-year-old,” wrote Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report regarding Grant.
“The frenzy comes one year after Pistons general manager Troy Weaver swiftly declined any inquiry about Grant’s availability after the forward surprisingly chose Detroit in free agency. Sources say Detroit is now asking for two first-round picks or one first-round pick plus a high-upside young player.”
It certainly sounds like there’s a lot of competition for Grant. It seems as though plenty of teams would love to have his services.
He would be a very interesting addition for a Lakers team that could use a boost. This season, Grant is averaging 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 33.1 percent from deep.
With L.A. struggling to sustain consistent play this season, a splash on the trade market could be what the team needs to find new life. If the regular season were to end today, the Lakers would find themselves in the play-in once again.
On the bright side, the Lakers were able to earn a quality win over the Utah Jazz on Monday to get back to .500 on the season. L.A. will look to build some momentum by beating the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.
